Eintracht Braunschweig

GERMAN CHAMPION 1967

Founded in 1895, as FuCC Eintracht (Fussball and Cricket Club),
Eintracht is one
of northern Germany's most famous and popular clubs. In recent years, the
club has
fallen on hard times, and the only real success was winning the
Bundesliga title in 1967. However, this started a slow decline which
eventually led to relegation in the early 70s.

Pre-WWII results were generally solid, with Eintracht usually near the top
of the regional league (then known as Braunschweiger SV Eintracht).

Eintracht has provided some 13 internationals to the national team, mostly
players from the 1960s-70s. Among the best known are Horst Wolter (13
caps), Lothar Ulsaß (10 caps) and Bernd Franke (7 caps).
During this period, Braunschweig experienced the highpoint of the club's existence: the Bundesliga title in the 1966/67 season. This was a
solid team of veterans that mostly were local lads, and were given little respect by the rest of the league. Indeed, they did have trouble
scoring goals (only 49, Lothar Ulsass led with a mere 15), but they had the best defense by far, anchored by GK Wolters, defenders Peter
Kaack and Jurgen Moll. This was a team that could grind out the points. They led Eintracht Frankfurt by two points after the 18th round, and
managed to hold that until the end. Although they did have a good season two years later, within 5 years the club was relegated for the first
time.

In 1973, Eintracht had it's greatest impact on German soccer. Their team
was crap, but they became the first club to carry a sponsor on their
uniform. The company was Jägermeister, maker of that gross
herbal liquer. They originally had the full sponsor, but teh DFB objected. Eventually it was shrunk down so that the club emblem was
essentially the Jägermeister deer. (In later years, the league relented somewhat, and sponsors could have their name prominrntly
displayed). Overall, the 1970s were reasonbly decent years for the club on the field.

By the mid 1980s, Eintracht was running out of gas, going up-down and
finally a drop into the 3rd division for the first time in club history.
After that drop, they quickly returned to the 2nd level, but without
distinction, finally falling back down in 1993.

Throughout the late 1990s, the club seemed to be on the verge of breaking
back into the 2nd division, only to choke near the finish line. When they
finally made it back, in 2002, it was only for one season, and the dropped
back down.

A brief stay in the 2.Liga starting in 2005 proved to be too much. The club reasonably well at the gate, but on the field they
were overmatched. Eintracht started the inaugural 3.Liga season with hope, but struggled to compete. They never really worried
about relegation, but never threatened to move up either. On the positive side, they did well at the box office, and seemed to be building a
solid squad.

All the hard work paid off, and in 2013 Eintracht was back in the Bundesliga after an almost 30 year absence. Of course, they were
immediately relegated, but given the meager resources, they gave a reasonably good account of themselves, and a win on the last day might
have even them stay up.

The future is hard to predict, but the fact that the club has been conservative financially would seem to indicate that they ride the
elevator between the top and 2nd flights on a regular basis.

Hamburger Straße Capacity: 25,000 (9,800 seats).
The stadium
was built in 1923, previously they had played in a small park on
Helmstedter street that cost RM 5,000 and held 300 folks. (Hey, we're
talking 1905). It was torn down in 1931.

Tickets

Range from 7-18 euros, although there is sometype of luxury suites for 84
euros (2003/04)

Supporters

Averaged 10,000 in 2004 (Regionalliga). Some of the strongest support in
northern Germany. Lots of fan clubs.
A good contact is through the internet fan club Webloewen (web Lions).

Eintracht-Klause ,
Roggenkamp 1, 38112 Braunschweig - close to stadium, is highly
recommended. Foreign vistors
are welcomed: "It's the meeting point of the Webloewen - they are
never involved in trouble and are friendly and helpful to every
visitor."

The Net

One of the first clubs to jump onto the internet, the official site is www.eintracht.com . This is almost a
model site, although it's only in German.